Richard Savage was a minor eighteenth-century poet, known chiefly today for his associations with Pope and Johnson, whose Life of Savage is a masterpiece. But his poetry is not merely valuable for the light it throws on Johnson and the tastes of the first half of the eighteenth century. It gives a clear picture of Savage's own somewhat sensational character and career, and is far more readable in its own right than has been suggested in the past. It epitomizes all the varying poetical styles of the time, but is much more personal and autobiographical than most Augustan verse. This definitive edition of Savage's poetry was the first to appear since the beginning of the nineteenth century, and earlier editions were neither complete nor reliable. Professor Tracy is the recognized expert on Savage and in his introduction he gives a clear account of Savage's reputation during his lifetime, and suggests why he should be given more recognition.
